I’ve watched well over 50 videos on this process and this is hands-down the best by far video on how to apply self levelling cement! Excellent work! Thank you.
Thank you! We should have noted that rinsing the wet primer off the broom is best practice. We've learned that some primer, like the kind for anti-fracture membrane, can be extremely tenacious once it has dried. SLU primer tends to be mild when dry. Thanks again!
That was a great, straightforward video. I appreciate the format of the information, and your explanation of how you approached the project. If every project video on RUclips was this way, the world would be a better place.
its interesting to see the difference in technique in the US compared the here in the UK, a lot of people still hand trowel but most are turning to the CAM rakes but after raking we use a spiked roller to break the tension and release any trapped air, no one uses a smoother or squeegee. might have to give them a go instead of the roller and see how it compares.
@@temujinkhan6326 I don’t think you understand how the ship operates . You most be a kid . For your 411 the ship has to be at port for us to self level . We communicate with the bridge to make sure is upright Because some ports are lower and the captain tilts the ship to get the gangway out .
I screeded my mix, I'm old school I guess. If you want my advice it's all about the perfect mixture, you want it more liquidy and let the product self level, mine was more thick so I screeded it. Can't go wrong. Always build it up or sand down for perfect results.
This is a very good, thorough, well-paced video. I admire your deliberate process. As part of the equipment list, you might include (specify) the type of mixing paddle. When I mix concrete, I often vary the consistency of the mix. Not so with self-leveling mix. So-as you stressed-it’s very important to follow the mixing instructions. 👍
Thank you Richard! The paddle comes with the Kraft kit. It is referred to as the Oval Mixer paddle and can be purchased separately from places like Home Depot online. Most paddles will suffice except for the box paddle. Box paddles are too aggressive. We do on occasion use the RUBI TOOLS Mortar Mixer Paddle M-120-R 3H. Thanks again!
PERFECT video!! Gave me a great perspective on staging, process, tools, technique. DIY'er getting ready for a 200sf level project and I'm sending this to my helper so he'll know too. Thanks!!
A couple videos I've watched include pinning the floor to show how high and low the floor is. Is this an absolute requirement if you plan on covering the entire area with SLU regardless? Thanks for your time, and great video!
Hi, I can tell you that we have very rarely pinned the floor. I can understand a pin or two, in particularly deep areas, but it is almost never necessary. Pins make it more of a pain in the neck getting the gauge rake or a spike roller around. Stepping on them can become burdensome. We have not used pins in years, as in the last ten years. We've installed 1500 sq ft of SLU with no pins and it's never been a problem. Pins for the most part become more important for large commercial work. In a typical residential home I don't see a benefit. Having said all that, for a beginner, I could see the benefit. A visual reference brings confidence and there is nothing wrong with that. For the professional, this can be an unneeded step. But...there is nothing wrong with it!
Thank you for this video, it's easily the best information out there when it comes to the self leveling process. Viewed probably 50 and there is a lot of incorrect and completely wrong methods being shown.
Thank you. I can understand how some people in their videos want to make it look very casual, but we didn't want to convey that as taking it too lightly introduces high dollar and high labor mistakes. This video is exactly how we've done it over and over again for the last ten years. This is the recipe that works for us.
@@trendsettertilestone9602 thank you for this video. I saw your kit on WHITE CAP Supplies and I’m pretty sure I’m gonna buy it for my project. I have two questions though; with the leveling rake, what is the lowest you’ll go and how is it better or different than using a straight edge? Thank you in advance.
@@JoseMedina-ms5jg You're welcome, and thank you for the questions. Our gauge rake is almost always at one quarter of an inch. There have been instances when I have reduced it to three sixteenths but I can't say I have done that often. I wouldn't apply anything thinner as it may force an additional application and that is something I avoid because it adds time to the schedule. While you could use a straightedge, it is more cumbersome, may require an additional person, and is really a technique for a different application. Straight edges are used for dry pack or fat mud applications which require finesse. SLU just doesn't need that much care. You are gonna place it with the rake, break the tension with the smoother, and it is going to handle some of the finer details as it continues to settle. When someone uses a straight edge for SLU there applying the technique they know to the wrong product. There is no benefit to it. It can however be used to determine the flatness of the substrate prior to the SLU application if you don't have a laser.
@@trendsettertilestone9602 Wow GREAT response thank you so much for explaining the differences between the two. This really helps me in determining which route I want to take in leveling my substrate before applying my LVP. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
This is one of the best instruction videos on RUclips, thanks! Very concise and informative; I never would have thought about starting at high point, makes sense how you describe it. My basement floor with nook is about 400 sf with no particular high spot but wavy like sand dunes with some low spots almost half inch even though it all looks flat. It would cost a lot to cover the entire floor like you did so is it okay to just to fill the low spots starting at the neighboring high spots and dragging it in? Like you mentioned elsewhere, it doesn’t need to be level, just flat. So I guess I’d need to trowel around the filled area to feather edge into the high spots. Or should I just spread it around everywhere like you did while keeping it super thin on the hills? Thanks again and hope you do more videos. Nice to watch a professional video!
Thank you for the compliment on our video! You can spot correct areas around your floor, but I can tell you over the years I found most of the time it was not worth it. The improvement may only be marginal and can sometimes feel like you didn't do anything. Since your floor is wavy, You should lean towards covering the entire floor. I usually add SLU partially to the high spot and some to the nearest low. Pulling SLU into a low spots is easier than dragging it over a high spot to the next low spot, so from a high spot I distribute it to the surrounding low areas. This is usually only necessary when I'm dealing with differences exceeding 3/8ths of an inch. otherwise I just treat the floor as if it's already flat and just distribute the SLU in the easiest manor that backs me up towards the exit. A good way to manage extreme undulations is to utilize screws like Tapcons, on the concrete when working with SLU. This way you monitor your progress in real time during the pour. The technique is seen in this video; ruclips.net/video/eDg6pjD001o/видео.html Three people would be better for 400 ft. One person should be on the mixing duties, adding product, mixing materials and helping to move batches as needed, with assistance. Person #2 is the placer and uses the rakes and smoothers and is in complete management of the pace. Person #3 is the in-between that handles communication between the mixer and placer. He also makes sure the placer has what he needs at any moment and that the batches move to the placer without interrupting his progress. Get two people to watch this video with you, assign each one a position, and crush this thing!
You are so Awesome! The comment section is almost as useful as the actual video as you get to hear details/problems that other people are having, so your helpful (and timely!) replies are much appreciated. Cheers from Canada!
Excellent video. One thing I don't understand about using the gauge rake however. If the floor has high and low areas won't it follow those inconsistencies and bog down or ride over them not achieving much but pushing materiel around relative to the uneven floor. The tool seems to only make sense if it is already a flat level surface and you just need to refresh the surface.
You have to think of it like this; If you have enough SLU material in the space, meaning the rake is set between the average to maximum amount of correction needed, the abundance of SLU will settle with more material in the lowest points with less on the highs. Following the rake and tensioner, gravity takes over. The gauge rake set at one consistent height is not to achieve that height but more so to evenly distribute SLU. The SLU will then find the average. The ability of SLU to flow is what makes it so helpful as opposed to other cementitious materials. Using too little material could have a poor result similar to what you indicated in your question. Thank you
Don't be like me and make a rookie mistake with the stirrer. If you don't own a pro heavy duty mixer, go buy or rent one. I made the horrible mistake thinking a corded drill or hammer drill would be strong enough. Oops. =( -1 on my man card. This is a very well done video.
A good cordless like Dewalt or Milwaukee (which any MAN should have already) will mix SLU just fine. No need to spend crazy money on that. I've mixed hundreds of pounds of this stuff with my Dewalt cordless drill. I even mix small batches (
Such a great video, definitely one of the best on this subject. Thank you for sharing such clear and concise instruction on a task that appears easy yet catches so many of us out. I notice your use of not one, but two smoothers but then no spiked roller, can I assume you have tried both methods and ‘settled’ on smoothers as your favourite? I agree with your point that the term ‘self levelling’ underlayment is at best unhelpful and at worst deceitful. Needing to cooperate so attentively with a product in order to achieve it's only stated purpose feels a little disingenuous but if I owned shares in ‘self levelling’ that’s what I’d call it too. Usually my efforts at this game require some touching up after the main pour, which is a little frustrating. Discovering a new high spot (that I’ve created) after plenty of gauge rakeing and spike rolling proves that I haven’t quite mastered it. Maybe it’s all in the squegee smoother thing?
Thank you for the compliment , I can tell by your comment that you are someone who dabbles in precision like myself! I don't know exactly why, but I was not a fan of spiked rollers. They do a good job of breaking surface tension but I guess I learned to "read" the floor really well during placement and the smoothers just seemed to serve me better, especially if I pull the smoother in as many directions as possible in a given area. Another key thing is knowing exactly how bad the subfloor is in several locations. If I know where the high point is prior to the pour, I will keep looking at that spot during the pour. If it seems to bulge or be high at the time of the pour I use the smoothers to take the material away and drag it into low sections. A spike roller may not help to truly relocate an abundance of SLU in one location. I have been through it all with SLU. I gotta say small failures and a lot of practice is the only thing that taught me how to do it. By time I took a course on SLU from the NTCA I could have hosted the class. Check out this RUclips video I was part of in 2020. Funny story about SLU's. check it out at starting around 28:39 of the video. ruclips.net/video/zWyUVVDocX8/видео.html Thank you for the comment!
Excellent tutorial. One question - If I place the bottom edge of the foam seal flush with the slab, is that enough to contain the leveler compound, or should I do something like place a bead of calking along the bottom edge of the seal?
If the sill seal is tight, it's usually enough. If you are doing the work on a second floor it becomes more important to have a good seal. At that point spray foam around the perimeter is a good idea or backer rod that is pushed into silicone sealant. The sill seal is a quick thing that gets the job done, especially when the sill seal is installed low where it laps over the concrete by a half inch or so. Then the SLU sits on it preventing leaks. It really depends on how much you need to avoid leakage. Spray foam is a better method, just a 1/4 inch bead will balloon to the height and width you need for the SLU, and any overage later is easily cut away. Thank you
@@trendsettertilestone9602 Thanks for the prompt reply! This is a first floor slab so no worries about it dripping to a lower floor. I think I'll just try the method you suggest and make sure the sill seal externs onto the concrete about 1/2". Thanks!
You can apply the caulking to adhere the sill seal, but if I need a better seal and I'm gonna use cailking then I use backer rod as opposed to sill seal. Your probably gonna need silicone caulking, acrylic or siliconized acrylic just doesn't stick well enough
Is there a similar product that takes an irregular concrete floor and not only levels it, but also leaves you with a durable finished surface which does not require flooring? (A smooth durable surface which can then be painted or epoxied). Thank you. This is a great lesson.
Thank you, no this product is only appropriate when it is covered with tile. It does not have the durability, but Laticrete does make products that are applied similar, but are meant as a stand alone finish. This is one option; www.laticrete.com/en/products/nxt-level-dl
Great explanation on a process I am scared to death to start. One question that sticks in my mind is when you add depth to the floor, you are going to be impinging on clearances under door thresholds and transitions into other rooms. I am at a loss as to how to handle them. I am getting ready to install vinyl plank and my front door threshold is only about an 1/8" above the concrete slab. If I try to level the floor, there is not going to be any clearance. Is it advised to level the entire room (I have three living room, dining room, kitchen) to the tune of about 580 sq feet, or can I just even out the low spots?
Hi, you can spot correct areas, but you'll have to determine if it's more to your advantage to grind down highs or fill in lows. In some instances adding SLU can interfere at transition points like yours and you will probably sacrifice some consistency in the finished floors flatness if you spot correct and leave the threshold and door as-is. If the threshold can be removed and the doors cut, applying SLU over the floors entirety would be your best approach. If that's not practical, a combination of grinding highs and filling in lows would be the next best option. One other thing; there are better products for spot correcting that can have a feather edge so there's no ledge or bump where your patch meets surrounding concrete. laticrete.com/en/surface-preparation/nxt/repairs/skim-lite This product would be more appropriate for patching, it would require troweling or flashing for its application. SLU's are too wishy-washy when it comes to smaller patchs. Thank you!
Thanks both for this top-notch video but also for being so diligent in following up with users' questions. I have one of my own- we just poured a new slab in our basement (removed the old one and insulated the new slab). If we'd like to use SLU as a finished floor, without anything on top, are there better brands to go with?
Hi, Laticrete offers NXT Level Plus which has a higher strength and is fiber reinforced but it's not meant to be used as a finished flooring surface either. I don't believe it is a polish-able type. Some concrete types can be polished, and this is very important because it makes the surface stronger and more stain resistant. In my opinion for your basement I would recommend you use NXT Level Plus to correct the majority of the concrete subfloor's irregularities. After that has cured I would install a self leveling epoxy coating. The cement SLU would save some cost, whereas if you used only the epoxy it could get expensive if the irregularities are great. You can choose any finish or color that you would like in the epoxy, you can even get a mix that looks like polished concrete! It would be much more durable and stain resistant than a cementitious SLU. Thank you!
@@trendsettertilestone9602 Ah, thank you so much! We were loosely planning on a two-part epoxy in a bright color to keep the basement brighter, you've helped confirm that decision. I very much appreciate your recommendation.
The sill seal remains and the excess gets cut off when the SLU is dry. Tape is a bad way to do it. We couldn't find the staple gun that morning so we used the tape!
Would you guys use a gauge rake if there were a lot of dips and humps in a floor? Wouldn’t that just follow the humps? Or would the leveller flow and settle where it needs to be?
Yes, the gauge rake may need to be set to a greater depth, but generally dips and humps are part of every correction. The rake is a dispersing or placement tool, the self leveler will fall to the deeper areas, it just needs help from the rake.
Leaving the baseboard on is not considered best practice. The base would not be left on in a professional installation. For a DIY situation in your own home you could do it, but the chances of a failure increase. A perimeter joint is the minimum expansion joint required in an installation where the tile install is concerned. For SLU this is also true, so it's kind of a roll of the dice. You can get lucky and never have a problem, but as far as it goes towards charging someone for the work you're doing in their home...leaving the base board up is a no go.
Great video. Hard to find good instructional videos on this stuff. I've been thinking about doing this myself to one of our bedrooms, but would rather hire a pro to do it. Do you know any contactors in the Houston area that you would recommend?
Thank you for the compliment! I know one contractor in Texas, but he's in San Antonia. Cox Tile . The best thing for you to do is visit the NTCA website here: www.tile-assn.com/search/custom.asp?id=2759 Just enter your zip code to find an installer that is part of the National Tile Contractors Association. Another great resource is the CTEF www.ceramictilefoundation.org/find-certified-tile-installers Ceramic Tile Education Foundation is also perfect for finding an installer that is top notch. Also just as easy as entering your zip code. Don't forget to see if your contractor has a local license if required in your area. Thanks!
The laser is used primarily to determine how "bad" a substrate is so the proper amount of SLU can be purchased. It lets you get acquainted with the floor so you know what you're dealing with. The horizontal laser is set to any height, usually near eye level, just so it is convenient to read. You then measure from the floor up to the laser line in random locations around the room. It's helpful to write the measurement on the floor at the measured location. The different measurements will show you where the high and low points exist. You will have a base measurement at the tripod, or the closest point to your laser. If the measurements taken in random areas are less than the base measurement; those are high points. If the measurement is greater; that means that spot is low. The bigger the number, the deeper that area is. You will find an average deviation among all the measurements. If you want to level the substrate; you will set the gauge rake to the greatest deviation. If you want to flatten the floor like we have in this video; you would split the difference. Determining this can also be done with levels or a ten foot long straight edge.
Hey I’d love to know what weight the bags are in US to make sure I’m using the right radio of water and levelling compound, the bags in the uk are 25kg. Great video!
I'm debating if the foam sill seal is needed between rooms that are also getting leveled. Does SLU over concrete slab even need an expansion joint? And did you caulk the bottom of the foam sill seal so as not to lose material?
Each room should have its own perimeter joint. Allowing the material it into another room from under the wall means you do not have a sealed perimeter joint. Often this is not a big deal unless the square footage begins exceeding 400 sq ft. However, a perimeter joint for the tile work is always required. SLU is supposed to follow the same movement accommodation guidelines as tile work. see EJ171 in the TCNA Handbook. The sill seal is just stapled on the drywall. It is not caulked along the bottom. The SLU pushes against it and the loss of the material under it is minimal. It's ok if the sill seal rests on top of the concrete by a quarter of an inch. The slu will just sit on top of it along the edge.
Great video guys, I need to do this in my kitchen and in places I have 15mm to bring up to the high point. Floor area is 20sqm and the level changes vary from about 8-15mm. I was looking at levelflex to do this, but wondered, do I need to get the levels up in consecutive pours or the entire area or do i mix the compound thicker to get the levels i need?
Hi, you should not mix your SLU with less water to thicken it up. This will only make things more difficult, reduce coverage, and potentially create humps that the smoother cannot overcome. I almost always mix my ratio of water to product at the highest available water ratio. This provides a little more time to work and makes the product easier to rake. Do not mix your product outside of the manufacturers guidelines in regards to water and powder ratio. Most of the time I target the average height discrepancy to flatten the floor. To level the floor your target would be slightly higher than the average of high to low deviations on the subfloor. So you are 10-11mm in gauge rake height to level the floor, if you correct all at once. Consecutive pours are sometimes reserved for larger areas with greater depth that are not utilizing a truck delivery with a pump system. Small areas should be one pour when possible, multiple pours in the same area should be considered for individuals at a higher skill level. I understand this may be counterintuitive, but multiple pours actually increase complexity. The height of your pour would not meet my threshold for multiple pours and we work with levelers on a weekly basis. While you are raking keep pulling the SLU from the high points and drag it to the low points. The SLU will continue to flow down to the lows after you have stopped raking. Provided your floor is properly primed, the water ratio is on the higher end, and you work at a fast enough pace. Thank you
Part of my basement floor is dirt, whereas the other 75% is concrete. The dirt area is slightly recessed and I’m hoping to level it out and tie all the flooring in for a smooth dirt free space. Will this process work? Side note, the space will be utilized primarily for storage, not a main living area. If it can be applied over the dirt, will it resist being cracked from walking on it?
Hi, no the SLU will not work over the dirt. More than likely you would need to remove some of the dirt so you have an appropriate depth for concrete, a typical slab is a minimum of four inches thick. Concrete should be installed over a vapor barrier and after it has cured then the SLU can be applied to both areas. SLU requires a solid base for success. It is only as strong as the foundation it rests on, whether wood or concrete. Thank you
If you go by the book, yes. However there is a low probability that a concrete floor that small would have any kind of problem. There are a lot of small bathroom floors that we use SLU and do not use a perimeter joint in regards to SLU, but for the tile install there is always a perimeter joint.
Thank you, I can understand. I was trying to convey that if you don't attack with authority it may get the best of you. With the right tools and a planned approach it won't go bad, provided you don't take on too much square footage.
Check out the description for some tips! This product is used to increase the overall flatness of a substrate. Read the directions on your product twice! Water quantities and coverage vary among different manufacturers. Visit us at www.southfloridatileinstallation.com/ to see articles about tile installation or to find out more about becoming a member with the NTCA.
This is the best type of paddle for mixing SLU www.contractorsdirect.com/ardex-mixing-paddle This is a link to the whole kit that comes with a mixing paddle. www.contractorsdirect.com/kraft-tool-self-leveling-kit
Excellent question! This method in the TCNA Handbook is F205. In this method, under the section movement joints, it says movement joints are mandatory according to EJ171. In EJ171 there are several types of joints to accommodate movement. They differ slightly based on the type of joint you are dealing with. The best thing to do to preserve the joint is to fill it with compressible backer rod prior to the SLU application. You can put the backer rod in, measure where it is from a parallel wall, Go right over it with the SLU, and then remove it after the SLU has dried. You can place a few screws in the backer rod to identify where the backer rod is, although sometimes screws are more trouble than they're worth. You put a screw at each end of the joint, and then when the SLU is dry, just snap a chalk line where the joint is and clean the joint up. At that point the joint should be handled in the manor suited to your particular joint per EJ171 page 442 in TCNA 2024 Handbook. Thank you!
Thank you for your support? I thought about using an elastomeric caulking but wasn’t sure if it would react differently to the SLU. I was also going to use the caulking at the base instead of foam. My shop is a slab on grade and I wanted to waterproof the base as much as possible. Thoughts?
@@Xray0773 No matter what type of caulking you use as sealant in the joint, whether silicone, urethane, or other, you must put backer rod in first. If you put sealant in a joint and it doesn't have backer rod, or bond breaker tape below it, the sealant is likely to detach upon movement. This is because the sealant will detach from one side or the other upon expansion, backer rod serves as a medium the helps keep the adhesion balanced, instead of being over powered from one side to the other. In your instance where you want to use waterproofing the best course of action in my opinion may be to install backer rod, install silicone on top of the backer rod, install SLU directly over the entire project, Apply a waterproof membrane such as Laticrete Hydro-ban over all of the SLU, and then install the tile with a generic joint directly above the existing expansion joint. Now let it be known, as I described above is not in the TCNA Handbook. Methods of addressing the exact thing you have brought up are currently bouncing around various NTCA committees. Waterproofing and expansion joints are tricky, there is way more to know than I can relate in this post. The best thing to do is to give the manufacturer of the SLU a call on their technical line. The manufacturer is the boss! Thank you
This is more effective than a screed. A screed corrects areas from high spot to high spot, and that is fine if the floor is fairly consistent. Too many high points though can make it difficult to truly "fix" a floor with a screed or ten foot straight edge. The exception being when a screed is used with screed strips. Then you are truly floating a floor and screeding may flatter or closer to true level. Screeding may be more cost effective in material, but the the labor would certainly be greater than an SLU, and the floor may also become thicker. SLU almost always has a thinner profile.
If the rake is always at 1/4 inch, didn't you just raise height variation in the floor 1/4 inch? Leaving you with the same issues just 1/4 inch higher?
No, the rake distributes the material evenly and then gravity directs the material, by taking some material from the high points and moving it to the low points. One depth on the rake may seem counter intuitive, but the high flow-ability of this product is what makes it work so well. It will not stay exactly where you placed it, it's not supposed to, it will seek out level when you cant see it. As it finds equilibrium you will have a flatter floor.
Badass! I've watched probably 10 hours or so of video on tiling and leveling, can't wait to do it at my own place. Partially because I'm saving money, but more importantly because I want to learn and it seems fun. I think that's the part that's needed, otherwise the DIY won't work so well. You have to enjoy it! I have some fabrication experience (mostly cars and boats) but not much masonry and tile, but I think if the prep work and knowledge is done, the work won't be too hard. The biggest question for me is how will I be able to do my 2000sqft house. I have some construction buddies to help but no tile or flooring guys. I'm wondering if you have any tips for how to do a whole house? It's a over tension slab, new build in Texas. I haven't measured anything since there's carpet and existing tile, but I'm wondering how bad it is. I will be installing 12x24 tile, possibly polished, but that seems extremely unforgiving if there's any lippage or non-flat areas. I am not brave enough to try large format stuff. I am not afraid of grinding and spot-patching, and seems easier to me cause I can work at a slower pace. But at the same tile doing tile for the first time I want as flat a floor as possible to make it easier on myself and not have to level with thinset as I go. So probably will spend the $2k on SLU. I will be using leveling clips and a a small and a large straightedge to ensure everything is kosher. Any tips for doing the whole house? Can I use base board strips to damn off certain rooms or sections and work one area at a time? If so, I'd have to be very precise at the intersections not to overfill yeah? Or worse case I can feather it out after with some skim coat products... Thanks!!!
Hi Chris, we're glad this video is helping you to be more comfortable with tackling your project. Using SLU is one of the easiest parts of our work week and it can be very satisfying turning a terrible floor into a suitable substrate. The process for your 2K sq ft is totally the same, however since it's your first time using dams NEAR doorways is a very good idea. It will slow you down though. Here is a tip when using dams to separate areas. Do not put the dam directly in the door way. Make your dam a few feet away from the doorway, whether inside or outside. Doorways are very important areas to have flat. You'll have tile cuts to slide under jams later and any inconsistency in that area is gonna translate into a pain in the ass later whether you have to shave down a hump or fight with a 24 inch length tile. Your SLU will turn out a lot nicer at the doorway if you give it the room it needs. Installing tile along straight walls or out in the field is easy, the real tile work is done at doorways and other transitional areas. You can put a dam near the master bedroom entry, install SLU in that room and then allow it about two hours to dry, remove the dam and then continue off the dry SLU. If you are careful not to overlap the fresh SLU over the dry, you won't have any hump or material to remove in that area. But this is a one area at a time approach. The next alternative is to dam off all the areas near every doorway, pour each area one after the next and then remove the dams when the rooms are dry to the touch and connect all of the rooms to a main hallway or shared area. The problem with this alternative is the SLU height in each room may be slightly different and you may find yourself removing humps at the areas where the dams were. I feel the first alternative is better. It will give you the chance to do an area that won't overwhelm you and let you get a feel for how quick to move to tie in those batches. After you guys take a breather and feel good about what you did remove the dam and pour the rest of the home all at once from back to front. Another tip, make sure you dump all of the SLU out of the container or bucket. Don't leave some in the bucket while raking the rest. The chemical process in drying SLU involves heat. The SLU needs to be dumped out and spread right away to alleviate some of the heat otherwise it will not flow as well. A bucket is an oven to SLU's or epoxy. I like mud boots more than spiked shoes. While the mud boots are messier and you have to be careful not to destroy some of the beautiful work, spike shoes are more likely to cause you to break your ass. Falling or slipping on spikes is much easier to do and they tend to slow you down because you have to take more care when stepping. Make sure the guys mixing do not get too far ahead of you. You don't want mixed batches sitting too long waiting for you to finish placing the previous one. They have to understand how fast or slow your moving in a given area so they do their part appropriately. Communication is important because your mixing area might be all the way on the other side of the house. After you've done your planning and have staged your mixing area, and are about to begin placement, you will go from critical thinking into the warrior mindset, this is normal, embrace it, and crush this thing!
I tried to level a floor area, but the cement makes a squeaking sound now if you walk on it on one part of it. I had screed down a 1/4 Cement board since the slope was a lot and I wanted to reduce the amount of cement I needed to pour. I had rolled the primer onto the plywood sub floor, the primer and self leveling were Laticrete. I have no idea why I hear squeaking. I had walked on the cement board before pouring and it was fine. Any thoughts on what is happening? Solutions?
Hi, whenever you install cement board, or any other type of board onto a plywood substrate, thin-set mortar needs to be used along with the screws. The thin-set mortar under the board is not used to increase adhesion, it is used to limit vertical movement that the board may experience if the the screws work themselves loose. 1/4 inch board can often leave the screw head resting too low within the board if the screw was originally over driven. It only takes minor traffic to free 1/4 inch board from the screw head, and at that point the board is sliding up and down the screw. The sound can be from materials rubbing or from air that is being pushed through the assembly. If you had installed thin-set mortar and just forgot to mention that, then the plywood subfloor is most likely deflecting. That would require more work than is outlined below. I would recommend cutting out the section where the sound is, reinstall that section of 1/4 inch board with thin-set mortar under it, screwing down the board while the thin-set mortar is fresh, prime the top of the board and re install the self leveler in that area. Some Laticrete SLU's require lath screwed to the floor prior to the application of the SLU. Read the bag you used and be sure that your product doesn't require lath under the SLU.
Yes. If the floor is out in flatness by more than a 1/4 of an inch in ten linear feet; It does not meet the standard for flatness as referenced in the TCNA Handbook, that is If the tile is smaller than 15 inches on any given length. Once the tile is larger than 15 inches, the standard becomes 1/8th of an inch in 10 linear feet. Variations in the subfloor should not exceed 1/16th of an inch in 2 linear feet. This is the standard a professional contractor should follow. Making corrections with thinset as you install tile increases the failure rate as well as the longevity of the installation, and of course the aesthetics of the floor become compromised due to mortar shrinkage/slippage. Leveling is not the goal for most installations. Increasing the overall flatness is. The floor in this video was not leveled, just corrected in overall flatness.
Great video! Question - I’m installing glue down vinyl plank over the SLU. Do I need to prime the SLU for the glue to adhere well? It would be primer, SLU, primer, glue, and finally flooring, correct?
Hi, if the adhesive/glue you are using indicates that it can be applied over concrete without primer then the procedure would be the same over SLU. This particular SLU is very absorptive and I wouldn't see a need for a primer to increase bond. However... A primer is sometimes used over an SLU to create a vapor barrier and sometimes even to slow down the absorption so an adhesive will not "dry out" too fast on top of the SLU. With that said though... In most instances a primer will not hurt, but if the primer is a vapor retarder and the floor covering is impervious, such as vinyl, putting glue type adhesive on top of the primer and underneath the floor covering is like putting the glue back in the bucket. You need the substrate or the floor covering, preferably both though, to have absorption or air to cure the adhesive. When I'm in doubt I always call the technical number on the adhesive I choose. Thank you for the compliment!
I'll be completing this same process for a 800 sq foot basement. Thank you for the tips. I am not totally sure again what the foam backer is accomplishing. It appears that some is falling off or not even touching the SLU, am I mistaken here? Also, do you just cut the remainder foam off or pull it out when dry? If I have several rooms that are connected, bathroom, storage closet, and main room is it smart and or possible to make them slightly different heights if they are slightly different floor heights?
The foam around the edges is used to retain the SLU where it might slip further under the sill plates and it also provides room for expansion. It should be stapled up, I couldn't find my stapler, so we taped it up and had some areas fold over. The foam can be put on low enough so the SLU rests on a small amount of it and the weight of the SLU prevents the material from pushing through if there is a gap behind the foam We leave it in place until after the tile install and then cut the excess prior to baseboard installation. The room in the video was small and could probably get away without the foam but it's a good idea when possible. I have doubled up the foam to increase rigidity, along with the staple gun, and found the foam to stay put. It is possible to apply the SLU at different heights by using dams and sectioning off the different areas. I have used foam board, cut to the length I need, with a height of about three inches, put in place with a bead of caulking where the foam meets the floor and along the sides. I might put a bucket of water behind the foam just for support and then pour the section. I can then pour the next section to whatever height I want after removing the bucket of water. After both areas are dry I just cut the foam board where it is exposed on top and leave the rest of the foam in place. We usually have Schluter Kerdi boards around so that's what I use. Thanks!
Haha, the bucket is actually on top of something small so it looks like its hovering. The bucket was just there to contain wires and cables that were coming out of the wall.
A spiked roller is fine for the final pass. But keep in mind a spiked roller not only breaks the tension and eliminates air voids, but it also distributes or displaces material like the rake. If movement of the material is no longer needed sometimes the roller can take material away from where you want it, unless the substrate was somewhat flat to begin with. On some jobs you could use a spiked roller from beginning to end. In my opinion if you choose the rake, then the spiked roller has no reason to follow the rake. When I use the rake I am actively placing more SLU in the deep areas. I have found the roller to be consistent in application but the rake was what was available when I was learning and I have stuck with it.
@@trendsettertilestone9602 Thanks for the reply . I watched a video by Ardex and the installer used a gage rake , smoother, squeegee and finally a spiked roller. I thought it was overkill and needing a big tool investment. It’s good to see someone else’s methods…
Need urgent advice. Workers putbsome latex yesterday. This morning I can still see some dark patches which tell me they are not completely dry. The worker is on his way but say its fine to put the glue on then stick on vynil floor is he right?
The dark patches are not always an indication that the product is not dry, the SLU may have been mixed inconstantly. If a fan or heat on the area does not dry it out you may have a broken vapor barrier below the slab. Vinyl should not be installed on a slab that exhibits high RH value. Vinyl traps the moisture which can weaken a bond with the glue causing edges to curl from one piece to another. You may need a vapor barrier or epoxy sealer to prevent the transmission of moisture to the glue and vinyl.
This is a great video, but you just glossed right over the sill seal. HOW is it installed? How much should be on the floor? How do you keep the seal to the floor? Staple to the wall, blue tape, ???
Hi John, most of the time the sill seal is stapled to the wall. We used blue tape because the wallboard on our job was very close to the floor and so the sill seal had very little flex. If there is a gap exceeding a 1/2 inch from the bottom of the wallboard to the subfloor, additional layers of sill seal can be used to improve the seal rigidity. We have used backer rod in place of sill seal when the gap below the wallboard is large. It's available in different diameters and is sometimes easier to install as it is just stuffed into the gap. The seal can be attached to the floor with silicone, silicone being better than acrylic caulk because it would not be as effected as the years go by from moisture vapor which can otherwise become a food source for mold. A quarter inch of seal sill attached to the floor is more than enough. We rarely attach the seal to the floor, only because of the additional time is not always practical in a real world schedule. In a perfect world the sill seal prevents all of the SLU from getting through. This is not always the case and there are times following a pour when we must remove excess material after it has dried. Thanks
I keep coming back to this video for my self levelling jobs. I have a basement to level that is about 700-800 sqft and after measuring with my laser level several times I saw that the humps that have appeared on one side of the room and the height difference between the lowest spots and those humps are a little above 3/4”. I tried grinding down the highs a bit but it didn’t help much. Other than that normally the variation between highs and lows are 3/8”. So at this point I am unsure how much I should level. Raising the floor 3/4 of an inch just to account for the very few humps doesn’t seem like a very good idea. I would appreciate any thoughts on this
Hi, I see that you posted this comment some time ago, I'm sorry I didn't see it sooner. The deviations being 3/8ths and how to approach them really boils down to how far apart are the deviations, and what size is the tile? If the tile is smaller than 15 inches on any given side than the floor should have a flatness of 1/4 inch in 10ft long, more than 15 inches and this would be 1/8th inch in ten feet. The larger the tile, the more these guidelines matter. I have found that I will average out the inconsistencies. If the floor has a maximum deviation of 3/8ths in 10 linear feet and I set the gauge rake to a 1/4 inch, this will usually bring my floor to 1/8 inch in ten feet. I go right over the high point, pulling material away towards the lower areas. This avoids build up on that high spot and "encourages" the material to seek level towards the lower point. I have rarely applied SLU at, or higher than the maximum deviation for any tile smaller than 5 ft long on any given length. It is not needed nor cost effective. If the tile is a thin gauge porcelain panel that is 4ft x 10ft, that is a different story. At that size, and thinness, you do not need the headaches that come with any variation of inconsistency. While the floor being level is not required for tile that size, shooting for level would certainly have the best chance of meeting 1/8th inch in 10 ft. The more you use this product, the more predictable it will become. I do not have a precise formula for figuring out the specifics towards the amount of material or the set height of the rake. It's one of those things that are hard to put into words because my assessment of a substrate has become intuitive and the practical hands on ability adapts to each new messed up substrate we encounter, and they can all be so different. Thank you
You can use 5 gallon buckets for 180 sq ft no problem. We have used 5 gallon buckets when we accidentally left the barrel at the shop. But you have to use a good mixing paddle. If you use a square box paddle type it is going to lead to a poor mix. The paddle type can make a big difference. The Kraft paddle is too long for 5 gallon buckets but this Rubi one works good and we use it all the time when we have some small pours. www.contractorsdirect.com/Rubi-Glue-Mixing-Paddles Bare in mind that the rubi paddle is a screw in type, not a standard chuck type. You may need an adapter or just a paddle similar in design to the Rubi. I think Rubi makes a similar one for 1/2 inch chuck. Thanks
@@trendsettertilestone9602 thank. I went with the Kraft barrel :). I have a mixer but is too short so I will look for longer ones with similar design. Thanks again.
I have a 7 month old slab pour that undulates high and low because well poor workmanship by my contractor. I’m laying glue down LVP and want the surface smooth. I have about 526 sq/ft. How much material might you estimate I could need?
If you're going to set the gauge rake at one quarter of an inch that means you'll get about 22 sq ft per bag, so you'll need 24 bags of product to cover 526 sq ft. The undulations in your substrate may warrant more or less quantity of material. I would call Laticrete's technical line, give them some more details and they can provide you with a better estimate.
The sill seal stays in there. We cut the excess off after the tile work is complete. It helps preserve the perimeter joint around the installation similar to backer rod.
Paint roller is also good! The broom is a little more helpful when the surface is pitted or has some existing thin-set, to get the primer into the nooks.
As far as the drill itself, if it's a 1/2 inch chuck and does not exceed 650RPM, then yes. But as for the mixing paddle, no. The mixing paddle with the kit is much longer so the majority of the mix is being mixed at the same time, and it also draws less air into the bucket while mixing. The paddle is important for consistent results.
Great video. How do you set the guage rake on a very uneven floor? For example, my old basement will need depth ranging from 1/8" to 3/4" to create a level surface.
Most of the time you can split the difference. You have a deviation of 5/8ths, setting your gauge anywhere from a 1/4 inch to 3/8ths should work to increase the overall flatness. Usually if the floor has that much deviation I generally start on the highest point and drag the SLU into the deeper areas, instead of trying to pull SLU out of the deepest points.The SLU will do some of the work as it flows from the highest point into the lower ones. I would probably set the gauge rake at a 1/4 inch for your application because the product is expensive and at 3/8 gauge you will be working a lot more for a marginal benefit. A trick you can do is drill Tapcons into the floor around the room. I think Laticrete sells what they refer to as leveling pegs. The top of the tapcons should all be at the same height, either with a level or laser. You can then add SLU to the area and when you reach the top of the Tapcon, you know you have enough material in that area. This however is the expensive way! It can make the floor level, but level in general is not needed. You can add additional coats if after your first application you find there is room for improvement. I haven't had to do that in a long time, I don't remember how long it is until you have to prime the coat you just did to accept the follow up coat. Thanks for commenting, I encourage you to call Laticrete if your unsure. I have called them over the years and there Tech support has always put me in the right direction.
Yes you can. The process is the same but you should use Laticrete's Prime and Bond instead of the primer used in the video. Typical primer for SLU is for concrete or wood applications. Prime and Bond is specifically for hard to bond applications like existing ceramic tile.
@@Therealpeter10 Tile over tile is a gamble. While the SLU works and can last as long as any tile installation even when installed over existing tile, your new tile assembly will now be dependent on the old tile installation below it. Even if the old installation is sound, solid and has at a minimum, perimeter joints, there is no telling if it will maintain it's integrity for the next 30 years. Any problems that the existing tile floor has, or develops, will be telegraphed to the new tile layer on top. People do have success with tile over tile and in Europe it is very commonplace. You may need an evaluation from a local tile expert on whether or not your existing floor is a good candidate. A new floors longevity is sometimes a roll of the dice when installed on top of existing tile.
Primer on top of the finished SLU would only be applied if too much time has elapsed since the first application of SLU dried and you need the application thicker than originally installed. I only apply primer on top of SLU if more than 2 hours has elapsed and I need to add additional SLU. It's worth noting that additional primer on top of SLU not only reduces the likely hood of a cold joint between applications, it more importantly lets the next application flow much easier on top of the previous one. SLU with a reluctance to flow is a nightmare. If in any doubt, contact Laticrete technical support. 1.800.243.4788 EXT 1235 Doesn't matter what I say, TCNA, NTCA, or anybody else, the manufacturer is the only one that can be sure how to handle your specific application. NXT Primer is only for NXT level. It would not be used to increase bond for thin-set mortar or other cementitious material. You could use any other type of primer on top of SLU if you needed to increase bond strength for other materials. That would be unlikely though since NXT Level is highly absorbent and promotes a high bond on its own. I hope this helps, thank you.
@@trendsettertilestone9602 reason for asking primer using after is, I want apply epoxy paint on the cement for better bonding or sealant. Its for the garage floor. 😊
@@kan815k I see, yes indeed if you are putting a coating on that typically requires a primer than that coatings primer must be used prior to your application of the coating. You may want to check out Laticretes other SLU's since your application will be in a garage and will not have a traditional tile covering. You may need a higher Psi rating since tile will not be protecting the SLU, so to speak. Check out this product: laticrete.com/en/surface-preparation/nxt/self-leveling-overlays/nxt-level-dl This one is also worth a look: laticrete.com/en/surface-preparation/nxt/self-leveling-overlays/nxt-level-sp I have not used them, but the process of application is probably very similar to what you saw in our video. Thank!
Spike rollers are a great tool. I like the sled because I personally get a better "read" on whats happening but spike rollers are definitely a good option or nice addition to the rest of the tools.Thank you
The only installer I know in North Florida is Greg Michael. michaelscustomtile.com/ If he doesn't install in your area the best thing to do is to visit the NTCA website. www.tile-assn.com/search/custom.asp?id=2759 This link takes you to the find a contractor page. Just enter your zipcode and it will list all the NTCA installers within the radius you select.
I’m sorry but the bag price is now 60$ a bag. To do a 6 square meter room at 20ml deep is over 600$ au not including the primer. This product is simply not economical.
This product makes it so the installation of tile goes faster and it saves on thin-set mortar. Thin set mortar using a half inch trowel usually covers a little over 35 sq ft, if a SLU is used prior to the installation of the tile the thin-set mortar can usually cover a little over 55 sq ft. There can be an offset in cost due to reduced labor and adhesive quantities. $60 a bag is a lot. It's about $32 a bag here. I can understand how a material at that price could affect your bid and cause you to lose out on work because others may forgo the step.
I’ve watched well over 50 videos on this process and this is hands-down the best by far video on how to apply self levelling cement! Excellent work! Thank you.
Thanks so much! We use SLU all the time, this is our approach, and we make a living doing this.
Agreed, better than even the mfg videos which is sad.
@@trendsettertilestone9602 I’ve always started at the lowest point in the floor. Why do you start at the highest?
@@ronbiersteker7436 Hi, answer is in the video description.
Thanks
"Primer will not damage the broom." It’s these details + the fast, clear, and succinct speaking that make this tutorial truly outstanding. 🏆
Thank you! We should have noted that rinsing the wet primer off the broom is best practice. We've learned that some primer, like the kind for anti-fracture membrane, can be extremely tenacious once it has dried. SLU primer tends to be mild when dry. Thanks again!
You get right to the point, with useful information. Thank you. 👍
That was a great, straightforward video. I appreciate the format of the information, and your explanation of how you approached the project. If every project video on RUclips was this way, the world would be a better place.
I plan on doing approx the same sq ft with 2 people, so getting a proper workflow explained so well by pros helps so much, thank you!
As others have said this truly is by far the best video on this subject on RUclips.
Nice to see a mix of HD and Lowe's buckets.... :)
HD also sells white generic 5 gallon buckets 10 for $35, Model # RG5700/10, you have to order them online though
its interesting to see the difference in technique in the US compared the here in the UK, a lot of people still hand trowel but most are turning to the CAM rakes but after raking we use a spiked roller to break the tension and release any trapped air, no one uses a smoother or squeegee. might have to give them a go instead of the roller and see how it compares.
Great video, very helpful thank you
I love it 🥰 . This is what I used to do for the cruise ship in a much bigger scale . The guys are doing a great job
so do you have to relevel a ship every time it hits a wave? With so much leveling I imagine you have sank a few of them
@@temujinkhan6326 I don’t think you understand how the ship operates . You most be a kid .
For your 411 the ship has to be at port for us to self level .
We communicate with the bridge to make sure is upright
Because some ports are lower and the captain tilts the ship to get the gangway out .
@@George-gb2zn Your brain must have completely rotted away if you cant see sarcasm when you see/hear it
I screeded my mix, I'm old school I guess. If you want my advice it's all about the perfect mixture, you want it more liquidy and let the product self level, mine was more thick so I screeded it. Can't go wrong. Always build it up or sand down for perfect results.
Awesome video. As a teacher I love how you guys addressed potential mistakes clearly so someone like me can avoid them!
This is a very good, thorough, well-paced video. I admire your deliberate process.
As part of the equipment list, you might include (specify) the type of mixing paddle.
When I mix concrete, I often vary the consistency of the mix. Not so with self-leveling mix. So-as you stressed-it’s very important to follow the mixing instructions. 👍
Thank you Richard! The paddle comes with the Kraft kit. It is referred to as the Oval Mixer paddle and can be purchased separately from places like Home Depot online. Most paddles will suffice except for the box paddle. Box paddles are too aggressive. We do on occasion use the RUBI TOOLS Mortar Mixer Paddle M-120-R 3H.
Thanks again!
I agree with Bearberry House... The best video content for self leveling concrete floor. Thank you !
This is super professional. Very helpful thank you.
More videos please!!!! Very informative and great work guys!
PERFECT video!! Gave me a great perspective on staging, process, tools, technique. DIY'er getting ready for a 200sf level project and I'm sending this to my helper so he'll know too. Thanks!!
How’d you get on?
Wow, great video! I appreciate the explanation of the tools and when to use them. I plan on leveling my floors before we put down the LVP.
Perfect, this was exactly what I was needing.
A couple videos I've watched include pinning the floor to show how high and low the floor is. Is this an absolute requirement if you plan on covering the entire area with SLU regardless?
Thanks for your time, and great video!
Hi, I can tell you that we have very rarely pinned the floor. I can understand a pin or two, in particularly deep areas, but it is almost never necessary. Pins make it more of a pain in the neck getting the gauge rake or a spike roller around. Stepping on them can become burdensome.
We have not used pins in years, as in the last ten years. We've installed 1500 sq ft of SLU with no pins and it's never been a problem.
Pins for the most part become more important for large commercial work. In a typical residential home I don't see a benefit.
Having said all that, for a beginner, I could see the benefit. A visual reference brings confidence and there is nothing wrong with that.
For the professional, this can be an unneeded step.
But...there is nothing wrong with it!
Great, including exactly the information I needed. Especially appreciate sharing the time it took for the sq footage
Excellent video! Thank you so much and please keep them coming.
Thank you! We're gonna try to put more together.
Thank you for this video, it's easily the best information out there when it comes to the self leveling process. Viewed probably 50 and there is a lot of incorrect and completely wrong methods being shown.
Thank you. I can understand how some people in their videos want to make it look very casual, but we didn't want to convey that as taking it too lightly introduces high dollar and high labor mistakes. This video is exactly how we've done it over and over again for the last ten years. This is the recipe that works for us.
@@trendsettertilestone9602 thank you for this video. I saw your kit on WHITE CAP Supplies and I’m pretty sure I’m gonna buy it for my project. I have two questions though; with the leveling rake, what is the lowest you’ll go and how is it better or different than using a straight edge?
Thank you in advance.
@@JoseMedina-ms5jg You're welcome, and thank you for the questions. Our gauge rake is almost always at one quarter of an inch. There have been instances when I have reduced it to three sixteenths but I can't say I have done that often. I wouldn't apply anything thinner as it may force an additional application and that is something I avoid because it adds time to the schedule.
While you could use a straightedge, it is more cumbersome, may require an additional person, and is really a technique for a different application. Straight edges are used for dry pack or fat mud applications which require finesse. SLU just doesn't need that much care. You are gonna place it with the rake, break the tension with the smoother, and it is going to handle some of the finer details as it continues to settle.
When someone uses a straight edge for SLU there applying the technique they know to the wrong product. There is no benefit to it.
It can however be used to determine the flatness of the substrate prior to the SLU application if you don't have a laser.
@@trendsettertilestone9602 Wow GREAT response thank you so much for explaining the differences between the two. This really helps me in determining which route I want to take in leveling my substrate before applying my LVP. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
Great job buddy 👍. Looks very nice👌
Best self leveling video ever!
Word!
This is one of the best instruction videos on RUclips, thanks! Very concise and informative; I never would have thought about starting at high point, makes sense how you describe it. My basement floor with nook is about 400 sf with no particular high spot but wavy like sand dunes with some low spots almost half inch even though it all looks flat. It would cost a lot to cover the entire floor like you did so is it okay to just to fill the low spots starting at the neighboring high spots and dragging it in? Like you mentioned elsewhere, it doesn’t need to be level, just flat. So I guess I’d need to trowel around the filled area to feather edge into the high spots. Or should I just spread it around everywhere like you did while keeping it super thin on the hills? Thanks again and hope you do more videos. Nice to watch a professional video!
Thank you for the compliment on our video! You can spot correct areas around your floor, but I can tell you over the years I found most of the time it was not worth it. The improvement may only be marginal and can sometimes feel like you didn't do anything. Since your floor is wavy, You should lean towards covering the entire floor.
I usually add SLU partially to the high spot and some to the nearest low. Pulling SLU into a low spots is easier than dragging it over a high spot to the next low spot, so from a high spot I distribute it to the surrounding low areas. This is usually only necessary when I'm dealing with differences exceeding 3/8ths of an inch. otherwise I just treat the floor as if it's already flat and just distribute the SLU in the easiest manor that backs me up towards the exit.
A good way to manage extreme undulations is to utilize screws like Tapcons, on the concrete when working with SLU. This way you monitor your progress in real time during the pour. The technique is seen in this video; ruclips.net/video/eDg6pjD001o/видео.html
Three people would be better for 400 ft. One person should be on the mixing duties, adding product, mixing materials and helping to move batches as needed, with assistance. Person #2 is the placer and uses the rakes and smoothers and is in complete management of the pace. Person #3 is the in-between that handles communication between the mixer and placer. He also makes sure the placer has what he needs at any moment and that the batches move to the placer without interrupting his progress. Get two people to watch this video with you, assign each one a position, and crush this thing!
You are so Awesome! The comment section is almost as useful as the actual video as you get to hear details/problems that other people are having, so your helpful (and timely!) replies are much appreciated. Cheers from Canada!
With a little plagiarism. I’m just being humorous.
Perfectly organized video , thank you !
Super presentation! Thanks for doing the video!
Thank you very much!
Great Video gonna do my basement soon this helps me alot ...thank you
Excellent video. One thing I don't understand about using the gauge rake however. If the floor has high and low areas won't it follow those inconsistencies and bog down or ride over them not achieving much but pushing materiel around relative to the uneven floor. The tool seems to only make sense if it is already a flat level surface and you just need to refresh the surface.
You have to think of it like this; If you have enough SLU material in the space, meaning the rake is set between the average to maximum amount of correction needed, the abundance of SLU will settle with more material in the lowest points with less on the highs. Following the rake and tensioner, gravity takes over.
The gauge rake set at one consistent height is not to achieve that height but more so to evenly distribute SLU. The SLU will then find the average.
The ability of SLU to flow is what makes it so helpful as opposed to other cementitious materials.
Using too little material could have a poor result similar to what you indicated in your question.
Thank you
Don't be like me and make a rookie mistake with the stirrer. If you don't own a pro heavy duty mixer, go buy or rent one. I made the horrible mistake thinking a corded drill or hammer drill would be strong enough. Oops. =( -1 on my man card. This is a very well done video.
A good cordless like Dewalt or Milwaukee (which any MAN should have already) will mix SLU just fine. No need to spend crazy money on that. I've mixed hundreds of pounds of this stuff with my Dewalt cordless drill. I even mix small batches (
I know it isn't that easy but damn that looks good. I'm going to try this on our mud room. Only about 60-80 feet and see how it goes.
Good shit. Best DIY video on this topic.
Such a great video, definitely one of the best on this subject. Thank you for sharing such clear and concise instruction on a task that appears easy yet catches so many of us out.
I notice your use of not one, but two smoothers but then no spiked roller, can I assume you have tried both methods and ‘settled’ on smoothers as your favourite?
I agree with your point that the term ‘self levelling’ underlayment is at best unhelpful and at worst deceitful. Needing to cooperate so attentively with a product in order to achieve it's only stated purpose feels a little disingenuous but if I owned shares in ‘self levelling’ that’s what I’d call it too.
Usually my efforts at this game require some touching up after the main pour, which is a little frustrating. Discovering a new high spot (that I’ve created) after plenty of gauge rakeing and spike rolling proves that I haven’t quite mastered it. Maybe it’s all in the squegee smoother thing?
Thank you for the compliment , I can tell by your comment that you are someone who dabbles in precision like myself!
I don't know exactly why, but I was not a fan of spiked rollers. They do a good job of breaking surface tension but I guess I learned to "read" the floor really well during placement and the smoothers just seemed to serve me better, especially if I pull the smoother in as many directions as possible in a given area.
Another key thing is knowing exactly how bad the subfloor is in several locations. If I know where the high point is prior to the pour, I will keep looking at that spot during the pour. If it seems to bulge or be high at the time of the pour I use the smoothers to take the material away and drag it into low sections. A spike roller may not help to truly relocate an abundance of SLU in one location.
I have been through it all with SLU. I gotta say small failures and a lot of practice is the only thing that taught me how to do it. By time I took a course on SLU from the NTCA I could have hosted the class.
Check out this RUclips video I was part of in 2020.
Funny story about SLU's. check it out at starting around 28:39 of the video.
ruclips.net/video/zWyUVVDocX8/видео.html
Thank you for the comment!
Right tools made everything look good 👍
Thanks 👍
Excellent tutorial. One question - If I place the bottom edge of the foam seal flush with the slab, is that enough to contain the leveler compound, or should I do something like place a bead of calking along the bottom edge of the seal?
If the sill seal is tight, it's usually enough. If you are doing the work on a second floor it becomes more important to have a good seal.
At that point spray foam around the perimeter is a good idea or backer rod that is pushed into silicone sealant.
The sill seal is a quick thing that gets the job done, especially when the sill seal is installed low where it laps over the concrete by a half inch or so. Then the SLU sits on it preventing leaks.
It really depends on how much you need to avoid leakage.
Spray foam is a better method, just a 1/4 inch bead will balloon to the height and width you need for the SLU, and any overage later is easily cut away.
Thank you
@@trendsettertilestone9602 Thanks for the prompt reply! This is a first floor slab so no worries about it dripping to a lower floor. I think I'll just try the method you suggest and make sure the sill seal externs onto the concrete about 1/2". Thanks!
You can apply the caulking to adhere the sill seal, but if I need a better seal and I'm gonna use cailking then I use backer rod as opposed to sill seal. Your probably gonna need silicone caulking, acrylic or siliconized acrylic just doesn't stick well enough
@@trendsettertilestone9602 Thanks!
Is there a similar product that takes an irregular concrete floor and not only levels it, but also leaves you with a durable finished surface which does not require flooring? (A smooth durable surface which can then be painted or epoxied). Thank you. This is a great lesson.
This is probably the product you're looking for;
www.laticrete.com/en/products/nxt-level-dl
Great tutuorial! I'm wondering - is this product something I could stain after laying for a stained concrete floor?
Thank you, no this product is only appropriate when it is covered with tile. It does not have the durability, but Laticrete does make products that are applied similar, but are meant as a stand alone finish.
This is one option;
www.laticrete.com/en/products/nxt-level-dl
Great explanation on a process I am scared to death to start. One question that sticks in my mind is when you add depth to the floor, you are going to be impinging on clearances under door thresholds and transitions into other rooms. I am at a loss as to how to handle them. I am getting ready to install vinyl plank and my front door threshold is only about an 1/8" above the concrete slab. If I try to level the floor, there is not going to be any clearance. Is it advised to level the entire room (I have three living room, dining room, kitchen) to the tune of about 580 sq feet, or can I just even out the low spots?
Hi, you can spot correct areas, but you'll have to determine if it's more to your advantage to grind down highs or fill in lows. In some instances adding SLU can interfere at transition points like yours and you will probably sacrifice some consistency in the finished floors flatness if you spot correct and leave the threshold and door as-is.
If the threshold can be removed and the doors cut, applying SLU over the floors entirety would be your best approach. If that's not practical, a combination of grinding highs and filling in lows would be the next best option.
One other thing; there are better products for spot correcting that can have a feather edge so there's no ledge or bump where your patch meets surrounding concrete.
laticrete.com/en/surface-preparation/nxt/repairs/skim-lite
This product would be more appropriate for patching, it would require troweling or flashing for its application. SLU's are too wishy-washy when it comes to smaller patchs.
Thank you!
@@trendsettertilestone9602 Exactly this!
Thanks both for this top-notch video but also for being so diligent in following up with users' questions. I have one of my own- we just poured a new slab in our basement (removed the old one and insulated the new slab). If we'd like to use SLU as a finished floor, without anything on top, are there better brands to go with?
Hi, Laticrete offers NXT Level Plus which has a higher strength and is fiber reinforced but it's not meant to be used as a finished flooring surface either. I don't believe it is a polish-able type. Some concrete types can be polished, and this is very important because it makes the surface stronger and more stain resistant.
In my opinion for your basement I would recommend you use NXT Level Plus to correct the majority of the concrete subfloor's irregularities. After that has cured I would install a self leveling epoxy coating. The cement SLU would save some cost, whereas if you used only the epoxy it could get expensive if the irregularities are great.
You can choose any finish or color that you would like in the epoxy, you can even get a mix that looks like polished concrete! It would be much more durable and stain resistant than a cementitious SLU.
Thank you!
@@trendsettertilestone9602 Ah, thank you so much! We were loosely planning on a two-part epoxy in a bright color to keep the basement brighter, you've helped confirm that decision. I very much appreciate your recommendation.
what happens to the sill sealer at the end? does it just stay there? I see you taped it, so I'm assuming it's removed. but when?
The sill seal remains and the excess gets cut off when the SLU is dry. Tape is a bad way to do it. We couldn't find the staple gun that morning so we used the tape!
Would you guys use a gauge rake if there were a lot of dips and humps in a floor? Wouldn’t that just follow the humps? Or would the leveller flow and settle where it needs to be?
Yes, the gauge rake may need to be set to a greater depth, but generally dips and humps are part of every correction. The rake is a dispersing or placement tool, the self leveler will fall to the deeper areas, it just needs help from the rake.
Do you have to remove the trim around the floors? I want to keep mine there and just protect it
Leaving the baseboard on is not considered best practice. The base would not be left on in a professional installation. For a DIY situation in your own home you could do it, but the chances of a failure increase.
A perimeter joint is the minimum expansion joint required in an installation where the tile install is concerned. For SLU this is also true, so it's kind of a roll of the dice.
You can get lucky and never have a problem, but as far as it goes towards charging someone for the work you're doing in their home...leaving the base board up is a no go.
Great video. Hard to find good instructional videos on this stuff. I've been thinking about doing this myself to one of our bedrooms, but would rather hire a pro to do it. Do you know any contactors in the Houston area that you would recommend?
Thank you for the compliment! I know one contractor in Texas, but he's in San Antonia. Cox Tile .
The best thing for you to do is visit the NTCA website here:
www.tile-assn.com/search/custom.asp?id=2759
Just enter your zip code to find an installer that is part of the National Tile Contractors Association.
Another great resource is the CTEF
www.ceramictilefoundation.org/find-certified-tile-installers
Ceramic Tile Education Foundation is also perfect for finding an installer that is top notch. Also just as easy as entering your zip code.
Don't forget to see if your contractor has a local license if required in your area.
Thanks!
What are you doing with the laser level? How are you determining where to put a level surface?
The laser is used primarily to determine how "bad" a substrate is so the proper amount of SLU can be purchased. It lets you get acquainted with the floor so you know what you're dealing with.
The horizontal laser is set to any height, usually near eye level, just so it is convenient to read. You then measure from the floor up to the laser line in random locations around the room.
It's helpful to write the measurement on the floor at the measured location.
The different measurements will show you where the high and low points exist. You will have a base measurement at the tripod, or the closest point to your laser.
If the measurements taken in random areas are less than the base measurement; those are high points. If the measurement is greater; that means that spot is low. The bigger the number, the deeper that area is.
You will find an average deviation among all the measurements. If you want to level the substrate; you will set the gauge rake to the greatest deviation. If you want to flatten the floor like we have in this video; you would split the difference.
Determining this can also be done with levels or a ten foot long straight edge.
Hey I’d love to know what weight the bags are in US to make sure I’m using the right radio of water and levelling compound, the bags in the uk are 25kg. Great video!
Hi, the bags are 50lbs. each.
Thanks for watching!
Nice job👍
I'm debating if the foam sill seal is needed between rooms that are also getting leveled. Does SLU over concrete slab even need an expansion joint? And did you caulk the bottom of the foam sill seal so as not to lose material?
Each room should have its own perimeter joint. Allowing the material it into another room from under the wall means you do not have a sealed perimeter joint.
Often this is not a big deal unless the square footage begins exceeding 400 sq ft.
However, a perimeter joint for the tile work is always required.
SLU is supposed to follow the same movement accommodation guidelines as tile work.
see EJ171 in the TCNA Handbook.
The sill seal is just stapled on the drywall. It is not caulked along the bottom. The SLU pushes against it and the loss of the material under it is minimal. It's ok if the sill seal rests on top of the concrete by a quarter of an inch. The slu will just sit on top of it along the edge.
Great video guys, I need to do this in my kitchen and in places I have 15mm to bring up to the high point. Floor area is 20sqm and the level changes vary from about 8-15mm. I was looking at levelflex to do this, but wondered, do I need to get the levels up in consecutive pours or the entire area or do i mix the compound thicker to get the levels i need?
Hi, you should not mix your SLU with less water to thicken it up. This will only make things more difficult, reduce coverage, and potentially create humps that the smoother cannot overcome. I almost always mix my ratio of water to product at the highest available water ratio. This provides a little more time to work and makes the product easier to rake.
Do not mix your product outside of the manufacturers guidelines in regards to water and powder ratio.
Most of the time I target the average height discrepancy to flatten the floor. To level the floor your target would be slightly higher than the average of high to low deviations on the subfloor.
So you are 10-11mm in gauge rake height to level the floor, if you correct all at once.
Consecutive pours are sometimes reserved for larger areas with greater depth that are not utilizing a truck delivery with a pump system.
Small areas should be one pour when possible, multiple pours in the same area should be considered for individuals at a higher skill level.
I understand this may be counterintuitive, but multiple pours actually increase complexity. The height of your pour would not meet my threshold for multiple pours and we work with levelers on a weekly basis.
While you are raking keep pulling the SLU from the high points and drag it to the low points. The SLU will continue to flow down to the lows after you have stopped raking. Provided your floor is properly primed, the water ratio is on the higher end, and you work at a fast enough pace.
Thank you
Part of my basement floor is dirt, whereas the other 75% is concrete. The dirt area is slightly recessed and I’m hoping to level it out and tie all the flooring in for a smooth dirt free space. Will this process work? Side note, the space will be utilized primarily for storage, not a main living area. If it can be applied over the dirt, will it resist being cracked from walking on it?
Hi, no the SLU will not work over the dirt. More than likely you would need to remove some of the dirt so you have an appropriate depth for concrete, a typical slab is a minimum of four inches thick.
Concrete should be installed over a vapor barrier and after it has cured then the SLU can be applied to both areas.
SLU requires a solid base for success. It is only as strong as the foundation it rests on, whether wood or concrete.
Thank you
Would you need expansion joints around perimeter if self leveling slab is only 24 sq ft in middle of a room? Thanks
If you go by the book, yes. However there is a low probability that a concrete floor that small would have any kind of problem. There are a lot of small bathroom floors that we use SLU and do not use a perimeter joint in regards to SLU, but for the tile install there is always a perimeter joint.
If I've learnt anything just poor it on and hope for the best to much work there not needed to much messing about lol 😆
Great video, although you have put me off doing my own now LOL Looks more difficult than I thought.
Thank you, I can understand. I was trying to convey that if you don't attack with authority it may get the best of you. With the right tools and a planned approach it won't go bad, provided you don't take on too much square footage.
Check out the description for some tips!
This product is used to increase the overall flatness of a substrate. Read the directions on your product twice! Water quantities and coverage vary among different manufacturers. Visit us at www.southfloridatileinstallation.com/ to see articles about tile installation or to find out more about becoming a member with the NTCA.
What mixer are you using? Is it Dewalt? And where can I get the mixing paddle?
We are using the DeWalt in this video. The Kraft kit comes with the paddle.
Do you know what model I am looking to do a project and want to get a good one
This is the best type of paddle for mixing SLU
www.contractorsdirect.com/ardex-mixing-paddle
This is a link to the whole kit that comes with a mixing paddle.
www.contractorsdirect.com/kraft-tool-self-leveling-kit
Sorry I’m wondering about the model of the dewalt drill being used to mix.
@@jacoblee3498 This is the one in the video
www.homedepot.com/p/DEWALT-9-Amp-1-2-in-Spade-Handle-Drill-Concrete-Mud-Mixer-DW130V/100072312
Great video, thank you
Question….what do you do at the relief cuts on a slab?
Excellent question! This method in the TCNA Handbook is F205. In this method, under the section movement joints, it says movement joints are mandatory according to EJ171.
In EJ171 there are several types of joints to accommodate movement. They differ slightly based on the type of joint you are dealing with.
The best thing to do to preserve the joint is to fill it with compressible backer rod prior to the SLU application. You can put the backer rod in, measure where it is from a parallel wall, Go right over it with the SLU, and then remove it after the SLU has dried. You can place a few screws in the backer rod to identify where the backer rod is, although sometimes screws are more trouble than they're worth. You put a screw at each end of the joint, and then when the SLU is dry, just snap a chalk line where the joint is and clean the joint up.
At that point the joint should be handled in the manor suited to your particular joint per EJ171 page 442 in TCNA 2024 Handbook.
Thank you!
Thank you for your support? I thought about using an elastomeric caulking but wasn’t sure if it would react differently to the SLU. I was also going to use the caulking at the base instead of foam. My shop is a slab on grade and I wanted to waterproof the base as much as possible. Thoughts?
@@Xray0773 No matter what type of caulking you use as sealant in the joint, whether silicone, urethane, or other, you must put backer rod in first.
If you put sealant in a joint and it doesn't have backer rod, or bond breaker tape below it, the sealant is likely to detach upon movement. This is because the sealant will detach from one side or the other upon expansion, backer rod serves as a medium the helps keep the adhesion balanced, instead of being over powered from one side to the other.
In your instance where you want to use waterproofing the best course of action in my opinion may be to install backer rod, install silicone on top of the backer rod, install SLU directly over the entire project, Apply a waterproof membrane such as Laticrete Hydro-ban over all of the SLU, and then install the tile with a generic joint directly above the existing expansion joint.
Now let it be known, as I described above is not in the TCNA Handbook. Methods of addressing the exact thing you have brought up are currently bouncing around various NTCA committees. Waterproofing and expansion joints are tricky, there is way more to know than I can relate in this post.
The best thing to do is to give the manufacturer of the SLU a call on their technical line. The manufacturer is the boss!
Thank you
Is this method more effective than using a 10' screed?
This is more effective than a screed. A screed corrects areas from high spot to high spot, and that is fine if the floor is fairly consistent. Too many high points though can make it difficult to truly "fix" a floor with a screed or ten foot straight edge.
The exception being when a screed is used with screed strips. Then you are truly floating a floor and screeding may flatter or closer to true level.
Screeding may be more cost effective in material, but the the labor would certainly be greater than an SLU, and the floor may also become thicker.
SLU almost always has a thinner profile.
@@trendsettertilestone9602 Thank you!
Top Gunn Vid thanks guys! excellent!
If the rake is always at 1/4 inch, didn't you just raise height variation in the floor 1/4 inch? Leaving you with the same issues just 1/4 inch higher?
No, the rake distributes the material evenly and then gravity directs the material, by taking some material from the high points and moving it to the low points.
One depth on the rake may seem counter intuitive, but the high flow-ability of this product is what makes it work so well.
It will not stay exactly where you placed it, it's not supposed to, it will seek out level when you cant see it. As it finds equilibrium you will have a flatter floor.
Hou many sq.cover each bag cement.
22 sq ft per bag with the gauge set at a 1/4 inch
Badass! I've watched probably 10 hours or so of video on tiling and leveling, can't wait to do it at my own place. Partially because I'm saving money, but more importantly because I want to learn and it seems fun. I think that's the part that's needed, otherwise the DIY won't work so well. You have to enjoy it!
I have some fabrication experience (mostly cars and boats) but not much masonry and tile, but I think if the prep work and knowledge is done, the work won't be too hard.
The biggest question for me is how will I be able to do my 2000sqft house. I have some construction buddies to help but no tile or flooring guys. I'm wondering if you have any tips for how to do a whole house? It's a over tension slab, new build in Texas.
I haven't measured anything since there's carpet and existing tile, but I'm wondering how bad it is. I will be installing 12x24 tile, possibly polished, but that seems extremely unforgiving if there's any lippage or non-flat areas. I am not brave enough to try large format stuff.
I am not afraid of grinding and spot-patching, and seems easier to me cause I can work at a slower pace. But at the same tile doing tile for the first time I want as flat a floor as possible to make it easier on myself and not have to level with thinset as I go. So probably will spend the $2k on SLU. I will be using leveling clips and a a small and a large straightedge to ensure everything is kosher.
Any tips for doing the whole house? Can I use base board strips to damn off certain rooms or sections and work one area at a time? If so, I'd have to be very precise at the intersections not to overfill yeah? Or worse case I can feather it out after with some skim coat products...
Thanks!!!
Hi Chris, we're glad this video is helping you to be more comfortable with tackling your project.
Using SLU is one of the easiest parts of our work week and it can be very satisfying turning a terrible floor into a suitable substrate.
The process for your 2K sq ft is totally the same, however since it's your first time using dams NEAR doorways is a very good idea. It will slow you down though.
Here is a tip when using dams to separate areas.
Do not put the dam directly in the door way.
Make your dam a few feet away from the doorway, whether inside or outside. Doorways are very important areas to have flat. You'll have tile cuts to slide under jams later and any inconsistency in that area is gonna translate into a pain in the ass later whether you have to shave down a hump or fight with a 24 inch length tile. Your SLU will turn out a lot nicer at the doorway if you give it the room it needs. Installing tile along straight walls or out in the field is easy, the real tile work is done at doorways and other transitional areas.
You can put a dam near the master bedroom entry, install SLU in that room and then allow it about two hours to dry, remove the dam and then continue off the dry SLU. If you are careful not to overlap the fresh SLU over the dry, you won't have any hump or material to remove in that area. But this is a one area at a time approach.
The next alternative is to dam off all the areas near every doorway, pour each area one after the next and then remove the dams when the rooms are dry to the touch and connect all of the rooms to a main hallway or shared area. The problem with this alternative is the SLU height in each room may be slightly different and you may find yourself removing humps at the areas where the dams were.
I feel the first alternative is better. It will give you the chance to do an area that won't overwhelm you and let you get a feel for how quick to move to tie in those batches. After you guys take a breather and feel good about what you did remove the dam and pour the rest of the home all at once from back to front.
Another tip, make sure you dump all of the SLU out of the container or bucket. Don't leave some in the bucket while raking the rest. The chemical process in drying SLU involves heat. The SLU needs to be dumped out and spread right away to alleviate some of the heat otherwise it will not flow as well. A bucket is an oven to SLU's or epoxy.
I like mud boots more than spiked shoes. While the mud boots are messier and you have to be careful not to destroy some of the beautiful work, spike shoes are more likely to cause you to break your ass. Falling or slipping on spikes is much easier to do and they tend to slow you down because you have to take more care when stepping.
Make sure the guys mixing do not get too far ahead of you. You don't want mixed batches sitting too long waiting for you to finish placing the previous one. They have to understand how fast or slow your moving in a given area so they do their part appropriately. Communication is important because your mixing area might be all the way on the other side of the house.
After you've done your planning and have staged your mixing area, and are about to begin placement, you will go from critical thinking into the warrior mindset, this is normal, embrace it, and crush this thing!
Perfect 👍
I tried to level a floor area, but the cement makes a squeaking sound now if you walk on it on one part of it.
I had screed down a 1/4 Cement board since the slope was a lot and I wanted to reduce the amount of cement I needed to pour.
I had rolled the primer onto the plywood sub floor, the primer and self leveling were Laticrete.
I have no idea why I hear squeaking.
I had walked on the cement board before pouring and it was fine.
Any thoughts on what is happening? Solutions?
Hi, whenever you install cement board, or any other type of board onto a plywood substrate, thin-set mortar needs to be used along with the screws.
The thin-set mortar under the board is not used to increase adhesion, it is used to limit vertical movement that the board may experience if the the screws work themselves loose.
1/4 inch board can often leave the screw head resting too low within the board if the screw was originally over driven. It only takes minor traffic to free 1/4 inch board from the screw head, and at that point the board is sliding up and down the screw. The sound can be from materials rubbing or from air that is being pushed through the assembly.
If you had installed thin-set mortar and just forgot to mention that, then the plywood subfloor is most likely deflecting. That would require more work than is outlined below.
I would recommend cutting out the section where the sound is, reinstall that section of 1/4 inch board with thin-set mortar under it, screwing down the board while the thin-set mortar is fresh, prime the top of the board and re install the self leveler in that area.
Some Laticrete SLU's require lath screwed to the floor prior to the application of the SLU. Read the bag you used and be sure that your product doesn't require lath under the SLU.
Is leveling really needed for the ammount out of level you have?
Yes. If the floor is out in flatness by more than a 1/4 of an inch in ten linear feet; It does not meet the standard for flatness as referenced in the TCNA Handbook, that is If the tile is smaller than 15 inches on any given length.
Once the tile is larger than 15 inches, the standard becomes 1/8th of an inch in 10 linear feet. Variations in the subfloor should not exceed 1/16th of an inch in 2 linear feet.
This is the standard a professional contractor should follow.
Making corrections with thinset as you install tile increases the failure rate as well as the longevity of the installation, and of course the aesthetics of the floor become compromised due to mortar shrinkage/slippage.
Leveling is not the goal for most installations. Increasing the overall flatness is. The floor in this video was not leveled, just corrected in overall flatness.
good info
Good job.
Thanks!
Do you remove the backer rod once completed?
No, backer rod can stay.
Great video!
Question - I’m installing glue down vinyl plank over the SLU. Do I need to prime the SLU for the glue to adhere well?
It would be primer, SLU, primer, glue, and finally flooring, correct?
Hi, if the adhesive/glue you are using indicates that it can be applied over concrete without primer then the procedure would be the same over SLU.
This particular SLU is very absorptive and I wouldn't see a need for a primer to increase bond.
However...
A primer is sometimes used over an SLU to create a vapor barrier and sometimes even to slow down the absorption so an adhesive will not "dry out" too fast on top of the SLU.
With that said though...
In most instances a primer will not hurt, but if the primer is a vapor retarder and the floor covering is impervious, such as vinyl, putting glue type adhesive on top of the primer and underneath the floor covering is like putting the glue back in the bucket. You need the substrate or the floor covering, preferably both though, to have absorption or air to cure the adhesive.
When I'm in doubt I always call the technical number on the adhesive I choose.
Thank you for the compliment!
That about air balloons?
I'll be completing this same process for a 800 sq foot basement. Thank you for the tips. I am not totally sure again what the foam backer is accomplishing. It appears that some is falling off or not even touching the SLU, am I mistaken here? Also, do you just cut the remainder foam off or pull it out when dry?
If I have several rooms that are connected, bathroom, storage closet, and main room is it smart and or possible to make them slightly different heights if they are slightly different floor heights?
The foam around the edges is used to retain the SLU where it might slip further under the sill plates and it also provides room for expansion. It should be stapled up, I couldn't find my stapler, so we taped it up and had some areas fold over.
The foam can be put on low enough so the SLU rests on a small amount of it and the weight of the SLU prevents the material from pushing through if there is a gap behind the foam
We leave it in place until after the tile install and then cut the excess prior to baseboard installation.
The room in the video was small and could probably get away without the foam but it's a good idea when possible. I have doubled up the foam to increase rigidity, along with the staple gun, and found the foam to stay put.
It is possible to apply the SLU at different heights by using dams and sectioning off the different areas. I have used foam board, cut to the length I need, with a height of about three inches, put in place with a bead of caulking where the foam meets the floor and along the sides. I might put a bucket of water behind the foam just for support and then pour the section. I can then pour the next section to whatever height I want after removing the bucket of water. After both areas are dry I just cut the foam board where it is exposed on top and leave the rest of the foam in place. We usually have Schluter Kerdi boards around so that's what I use.
Thanks!
@6min44sec.... Why is the bucket sitting on the SLU???
Haha, the bucket is actually on top of something small so it looks like its hovering. The bucket was just there to contain wires and cables that were coming out of the wall.
What about using a spiked roller for the final pass?
A spiked roller is fine for the final pass. But keep in mind a spiked roller not only breaks the tension and eliminates air voids, but it also distributes or displaces material like the rake. If movement of the material is no longer needed sometimes the roller can take material away from where you want it, unless the substrate was somewhat flat to begin with.
On some jobs you could use a spiked roller from beginning to end. In my opinion if you choose the rake, then the spiked roller has no reason to follow the rake. When I use the rake I am actively placing more SLU in the deep areas.
I have found the roller to be consistent in application but the rake was what was available when I was learning and I have stuck with it.
@@trendsettertilestone9602 Thanks for the reply .
I watched a video by Ardex and the installer used a gage rake , smoother, squeegee and finally a spiked roller. I thought it was overkill and needing a big tool investment. It’s good to see someone else’s methods…
Need urgent advice. Workers putbsome latex yesterday. This morning I can still see some dark patches which tell me they are not completely dry. The worker is on his way but say its fine to put the glue on then stick on vynil floor is he right?
The dark patches are not always an indication that the product is not dry, the SLU may have been mixed inconstantly.
If a fan or heat on the area does not dry it out you may have a broken vapor barrier below the slab.
Vinyl should not be installed on a slab that exhibits high RH value. Vinyl traps the moisture which can weaken a bond with the glue causing edges to curl from one piece to another.
You may need a vapor barrier or epoxy sealer to prevent the transmission of moisture to the glue and vinyl.
You have to push it around with gUge rake to get thickness youvwant
This is a great video, but you just glossed right over the sill seal. HOW is it installed? How much should be on the floor? How do you keep the seal to the floor? Staple to the wall, blue tape, ???
Hi John, most of the time the sill seal is stapled to the wall. We used blue tape because the wallboard on our job was very close to the floor and so the sill seal had very little flex. If there is a gap exceeding a 1/2 inch from the bottom of the wallboard to the subfloor, additional layers of sill seal can be used to improve the seal rigidity.
We have used backer rod in place of sill seal when the gap below the wallboard is large. It's available in different diameters and is sometimes easier to install as it is just stuffed into the gap.
The seal can be attached to the floor with silicone, silicone being better than acrylic caulk because it would not be as effected as the years go by from moisture vapor which can otherwise become a food source for mold.
A quarter inch of seal sill attached to the floor is more than enough.
We rarely attach the seal to the floor, only because of the additional time is not always practical in a real world schedule.
In a perfect world the sill seal prevents all of the SLU from getting through. This is not always the case and there are times following a pour when we must remove excess material after it has dried.
Thanks
I keep coming back to this video for my self levelling jobs. I have a basement to level that is about 700-800 sqft and after measuring with my laser level several times I saw that the humps that have appeared on one side of the room and the height difference between the lowest spots and those humps are a little above 3/4”. I tried grinding down the highs a bit but it didn’t help much. Other than that normally the variation between highs and lows are 3/8”.
So at this point I am unsure how much I should level. Raising the floor 3/4 of an inch just to account for the very few humps doesn’t seem like a very good idea. I would appreciate any thoughts on this
Hi, I see that you posted this comment some time ago, I'm sorry I didn't see it sooner. The deviations being 3/8ths and how to approach them really boils down to how far apart are the deviations, and what size is the tile?
If the tile is smaller than 15 inches on any given side than the floor should have a flatness of 1/4 inch in 10ft long, more than 15 inches and this would be 1/8th inch in ten feet.
The larger the tile, the more these guidelines matter.
I have found that I will average out the inconsistencies. If the floor has a maximum deviation of 3/8ths in 10 linear feet and I set the gauge rake to a 1/4 inch, this will usually bring my floor to 1/8 inch in ten feet. I go right over the high point, pulling material away towards the lower areas. This avoids build up on that high spot and "encourages" the material to seek level towards the lower point.
I have rarely applied SLU at, or higher than the maximum deviation for any tile smaller than 5 ft long on any given length. It is not needed nor cost effective.
If the tile is a thin gauge porcelain panel that is 4ft x 10ft, that is a different story. At that size, and thinness, you do not need the headaches that come with any variation of inconsistency.
While the floor being level is not required for tile that size, shooting for level would certainly have the best chance of meeting 1/8th inch in 10 ft.
The more you use this product, the more predictable it will become. I do not have a precise formula for figuring out the specifics towards the amount of material or the set height of the rake. It's one of those things that are hard to put into words because my assessment of a substrate has become intuitive and the practical hands on ability adapts to each new messed up substrate we encounter, and they can all be so different.
Thank you
Always find myself coming back to this video. Wonder if I should mix with the Kraft barrel or do the five gallon buckets only? (180 sq ft project)
You can use 5 gallon buckets for 180 sq ft no problem. We have used 5 gallon buckets when we accidentally left the barrel at the shop. But you have to use a good mixing paddle. If you use a square box paddle type it is going to lead to a poor mix. The paddle type can make a big difference.
The Kraft paddle is too long for 5 gallon buckets but this Rubi one works good and we use it all the time when we have some small pours.
www.contractorsdirect.com/Rubi-Glue-Mixing-Paddles
Bare in mind that the rubi paddle is a screw in type, not a standard chuck type. You may need an adapter or just a paddle similar in design to the Rubi. I think Rubi makes a similar one for 1/2 inch chuck.
Thanks
@@trendsettertilestone9602 thank. I went with the Kraft barrel :). I have a mixer but is too short so I will look for longer ones with similar design. Thanks again.
I have a 7 month old slab pour that undulates high and low because well poor workmanship by my contractor. I’m laying glue down LVP and want the surface smooth. I have about 526 sq/ft. How much material might you estimate I could need?
If you're going to set the gauge rake at one quarter of an inch that means you'll get about 22 sq ft per bag, so you'll need 24 bags of product to cover 526 sq ft. The undulations in your substrate may warrant more or less quantity of material. I would call Laticrete's technical line, give them some more details and they can provide you with a better estimate.
Do you remove the seal sill after the self leveling concrete is cured. Before you still flooring. Or do leave it in there?
The sill seal stays in there. We cut the excess off after the tile work is complete. It helps preserve the perimeter joint around the installation similar to backer rod.
We use a paint roller for primer
Paint roller is also good! The broom is a little more helpful when the surface is pitted or has some existing thin-set, to get the primer into the nooks.
Hey good job, one question, how do you know you are holding the measurement tape 90 degree to the floor?
Use your eyeballs.
Can you use the same mixer you would use to mix joint compound?
As far as the drill itself, if it's a 1/2 inch chuck and does not exceed 650RPM, then yes. But as for the mixing paddle, no.
The mixing paddle with the kit is much longer so the majority of the mix is being mixed at the same time, and it also draws less air into the bucket while mixing.
The paddle is important for consistent results.
Great video. How do you set the guage rake on a very uneven floor? For example, my old basement will need depth ranging from 1/8" to 3/4" to create a level surface.
Most of the time you can split the difference. You have a deviation of 5/8ths, setting your gauge anywhere from a 1/4 inch to 3/8ths should work to increase the overall flatness. Usually if the floor has that much deviation I generally start on the highest point and drag the SLU into the deeper areas, instead of trying to pull SLU out of the deepest points.The SLU will do some of the work as it flows from the highest point into the lower ones. I would probably set the gauge rake at a 1/4 inch for your application because the product is expensive and at 3/8 gauge you will be working a lot more for a marginal benefit.
A trick you can do is drill Tapcons into the floor around the room. I think Laticrete sells what they refer to as leveling pegs. The top of the tapcons should all be at the same height, either with a level or laser. You can then add SLU to the area and when you reach the top of the Tapcon, you know you have enough material in that area. This however is the expensive way! It can make the floor level, but level in general is not needed.
You can add additional coats if after your first application you find there is room for improvement. I haven't had to do that in a long time, I don't remember how long it is until you have to prime the coat you just did to accept the follow up coat.
Thanks for commenting, I encourage you to call Laticrete if your unsure. I have called them over the years and there Tech support has always put me in the right direction.
@@trendsettertilestone9602 Thanks--very helpful!
I'm about to pour my 10sq/m mancave floor and I'm nervous as hell, got myself 6 bags of 25kg leveler
I totally understand! Keep the pace consistent and you'll be alright. Teamwork makes it much easier too.
Can i do this on tile over tile?
Yes you can. The process is the same but you should use Laticrete's Prime and Bond instead of the primer used in the video. Typical primer for SLU is for concrete or wood applications. Prime and Bond is specifically for hard to bond applications like existing ceramic tile.
@@trendsettertilestone9602 how long will this last me on tile over tile ??? Many years ?
@@Therealpeter10 Tile over tile is a gamble. While the SLU works and can last as long as any tile installation even when installed over existing tile, your new tile assembly will now be dependent on the old tile installation below it.
Even if the old installation is sound, solid and has at a minimum, perimeter joints, there is no telling if it will maintain it's integrity for the next 30 years.
Any problems that the existing tile floor has, or develops, will be telegraphed to the new tile layer on top.
People do have success with tile over tile and in Europe it is very commonplace.
You may need an evaluation from a local tile expert on whether or not your existing floor is a good candidate.
A new floors longevity is sometimes a roll of the dice when installed on top of existing tile.
dang good video
Love it
It's the same prose's whent it's wood floor? Somebody knows pl
pretty much make sure your product is made for timber floors so it has some flex
Can I use primer before and AFTER self levelling cement?
Primer on top of the finished SLU would only be applied if too much time has elapsed since the first application of SLU dried and you need the application thicker than originally installed.
I only apply primer on top of SLU if more than 2 hours has elapsed and I need to add additional SLU.
It's worth noting that additional primer on top of SLU not only reduces the likely hood of a cold joint between applications, it more importantly lets the next application flow much easier on top of the previous one. SLU with a reluctance to flow is a nightmare.
If in any doubt, contact Laticrete technical support. 1.800.243.4788 EXT 1235
Doesn't matter what I say, TCNA, NTCA, or anybody else, the manufacturer is the only one that can be sure how to handle your specific application.
NXT Primer is only for NXT level. It would not be used to increase bond for thin-set mortar or other cementitious material. You could use any other type of primer on top of SLU if you needed to increase bond strength for other materials. That would be unlikely though since NXT Level is highly absorbent and promotes a high bond on its own.
I hope this helps, thank you.
@@trendsettertilestone9602 reason for asking primer using after is, I want apply epoxy paint on the cement for better bonding or sealant.
Its for the garage floor.
😊
@@kan815k I see, yes indeed if you are putting a coating on that typically requires a primer than that coatings primer must be used prior to your application of the coating.
You may want to check out Laticretes other SLU's since your application will be in a garage and will not have a traditional tile covering. You may need a higher Psi rating since tile will not be protecting the SLU, so to speak.
Check out this product: laticrete.com/en/surface-preparation/nxt/self-leveling-overlays/nxt-level-dl
This one is also worth a look:
laticrete.com/en/surface-preparation/nxt/self-leveling-overlays/nxt-level-sp
I have not used them, but the process of application is probably very similar to what you saw in our video.
Thank!
@@trendsettertilestone9602 Thank you so much for all the info.
Keep up the good work.
Spiked Rake? That gets the trapped air bubbles out of your self levelling screed. Highly advisable.
Spike rollers are a great tool. I like the sled because I personally get a better "read" on whats happening but spike rollers are definitely a good option or nice addition to the rest of the tools.Thank you
Do you guys have any suggestions on a contractor in North FL capital area?
The only installer I know in North Florida is Greg Michael. michaelscustomtile.com/
If he doesn't install in your area the best thing to do is to visit the NTCA website. www.tile-assn.com/search/custom.asp?id=2759
This link takes you to the find a contractor page.
Just enter your zipcode and it will list all the NTCA installers within the radius you select.
COOL/////✌
谢谢
Next time use a paint roller to spread the primer, faster, and works great.
Paint roller is great when the floor is smooth. Brush works better to get into crevices when some thin set was left behind during the demo.
I’m sorry but the bag price is now 60$ a bag. To do a 6 square meter room at 20ml deep is over 600$ au not including the primer. This product is simply not economical.
This product makes it so the installation of tile goes faster and it saves on thin-set mortar. Thin set mortar using a half inch trowel usually covers a little over 35 sq ft, if a SLU is used prior to the installation of the tile the thin-set mortar can usually cover a little over 55 sq ft. There can be an offset in cost due to reduced labor and adhesive quantities.
$60 a bag is a lot. It's about $32 a bag here. I can understand how a material at that price could affect your bid and cause you to lose out on work because others may forgo the step.
@@trendsettertilestone9602 I totally agree with everything you said.
i think they call it smoothing compound now
Any contractors in Arizona?
Great installer in Tucson is John Mourelatos. We worked together in a committee with the NTCA, very knowledgeable!
mourelatostile.com/
@@trendsettertilestone9602
Thank you very much!
This doesn’t look like self leveling too me .
squirt expanding foam around the perimeter , less that £3.50 ;)